The proposed project solicits funds to support the North Carolina State University BRITE (Biotechnological Research Initiative and Transition Enhancement) Program. The BRITE Program is part of our continuing efforts to encourage minority and women participation in graduate education. The objective of the BRITE Program is to significantly increase the number of underrepresented minority students entering competitive careers in biotechnological and biomedical research. The BRITE Program will provide the opportunity for 20 minority undergraduates to participate in summer research for nine (9) weeks during the summers of 1997, 1998 and 1999 in biotechnological and bioscience fields at North Carolina State University. All activities of the BRITE Program are structured to increase the awareness of minority undergraduates of the opportunities and advantages of higher education and especially for graduate training in biotechnological and bioscience fields. BRITE is composed of three main programs directed at increasing minority undergraduate participation in research and scholarly scientific activities: the Campus Visitation Program (CVP), the Summer Research Program (SRP) and the Graduate Transition Program (GTP).